The English department is made up of 14 teachers, mainly full-time English specialists, but with others who teach English part time. We share a suite of nine classrooms that are located on the ground floor. We have a vast library of texts covering all the genres from Shakespeare plays to tales of mystery; a wide selection of visual resources and a growing library of software. We are experts in our field and work together to produce stimulating material to encourage all our students to learn, always revising, improving and adding to our resources as new ideas and material become available. 

Course Outline/Overview

Key Stage 3

This is a core subject for all Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) students and covers the following topics over the three years:

• Fiction and non-fiction texts
• Post 1914 prose
• Introduction to Shakespeare
• Poetry
• Other Cultures
• Script Writing
• Media
• Myths and Legends
• Specific Shakespeare play (cover two plays over the three years)
• Post 1914 play
• Pre 1914 text
• Post 1914 Prose
• Victorian Childhood

Key Stage 4

This is also a core GCSE subject covered in years 10 and 11. The current course covers the following topics:

• Original Writing
• Individual and Group speaking and listening
• Metalanguage
• Writing for a purpose - to explain, advise, argue or persuade
• Twentieth Century Drama - examining particular texts
• Pre 1914 literature - examining particular texts
• Shakespeare
• Pre 1914 Poetry
• Poetry and poets from different cultures

Key Stage 5

At present we offer students the chance to study English Language and/or English Literature at A-Level